NBA Free Agency 2017 Player Profile: Willie Reed
By Ti Windisch
Fit With Bucks
As with any big man linked to the Milwaukee Bucks, there are terms and conditions nearly as complicated as the ones that come with Apple products that apply to Willie Reed fitting in well in Milwaukee.
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One or more of Greg Monroe, Spencer Hawes, and John Henson needs to be gone for him to make sense. If the Bucks ends up with all three of those guys plus Thon Maker, the team has no need to add a traditional center.
Reed’s lack of a jumper isn’t ideal, especially since he’d be the least-stretchy of all of the Bucks centers. Thon and Hawes are obvious shooters, Monroe’s mid-range jumper is smooth, and Henson managed to knock down a healthy 44.5 percent of his shots from between three and ten feet, a range where Reed converted just 38.6 percent of his looks.
Willie Reed is a fine center, and if a hole opens up on Milwaukee’s depth chart he would be a capable backup. His lack of a shot from anywhere makes his fit tougher, though, so even if the price tag is nice, Reed’s fit on the Bucks doesn’t seem to be ideal.
Next: Free Agent Profile: Thabo Sefolosha
With Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s three-point shot still a work in progress, the Bucks front office has been smart to find ways to squeeze space into the offense. Reed doesn’t help to do that.